It is imperative that bicyclists and motorcyclists wear their safety helmets whenever riding. However, particularly with bicyclists, a serious problem in achieving this ideal has been how to secure the helmet after reaching an away-from-home destination. Bicycle and motorcycle helmets are not heavy but are bulky and therefore inconvenient to carry when off the cycle. Heretofore there has been no convenient and secure means for locking a helmet to allow it to be left unattended. The approach frequently taken to lock motorcycle helmets is to pass a locking mechanism possibly integral with the motorcycle frame through the metal chin strap loop. However, these loops are relatively thin metal and can be easily cut by ordinary pliers or diagonal cutters. Since the chin straps themselves are mere fabric, albeit with great tensile strength, they can be easily cut with a common pocket knife, and then a new loop and portion of the strap sewn on by the thief to restore the helmet to useable condition.
Bicycle helmets are another problem in that bicycles do not have integral locking mechanisms and the typical U frame open-shackle bicycle padlocks (hereafter U locks) are of stock too large to pass through the chin strap loop. Frequently these helmets either have vent holes or may be drilled to provide a hole through which a U lock shackle may be passed to lock the helmet to the bicycle and the external fixture. But the bulkiness of these helmets and the smaller size of these U lock shackles may prevent locking the frame, both wheels, and the helmet to the larger permanent fixtures frequently available, such as parking meters, posts and small trees. Furthermore, locking the helmet directly with a U lock places the helmet in direct contact with the U lock, and near to the chain and the lower parts of the frame, all of which are frequently dirty and may soil the helmet. This will eventually lead to the rider and his or her clothes becoming soiled.
Thus, one can see that the conventional approaches to locking a bicycle or motorcycle helmet have severe disadvantages.